The present application relates to smart cards for serving travel-related and entertainment-related functions, and in particular to smart cards useful in facilitating automatic fare, fee, and toll payment.
Over the past several years, smart card technology has developed to overtake magnetic stripe-only technology for many applications. Smart cards are generally made to match the size of a credit card, but have an embedded microprocessor chip that allows for receipt, processing, storage, and transmission of information. The chip generally allows smart cards to store orders of magnitude times as much data as magnetic stripe technology.
In addition to the increased storage capacity, information stored on smart cards can be more readily secured than with magnetic stripe technology. Smart cards are not required to carry information, such as account numbers or names, on the face of the card. Smart cards can store electronic digital signatures or other security information which is invisible to the user. Also, smart cards may be useful to protect a user from having to transmit personal data such as credit card numbers. All data transmitted through smart card technology is encrypted. Through this capability, smart cards provide secure electronic commerce.
Several types of smart cards are now produced. Smart cards can be categorized according to their capabilities and their usage mode. First, with regard to capabilities, smart cards may either be (a) intelligent cards, or (b) memory cards. Intelligent cards or CPU cards contain a central processing unit (CPU) that has the ability to store and secure information, and make decisions. Memory cards are primarily information storage cards that do not process information.
With regard to usage mode, smart cards can either be used as (a) contact cards, or (b) contactless cards. The contact cards need to be inserted in a smart card reader, which touches a conductive module on the surface of the card in order to be read. The contactless card makes use of an electromagnetic signal and an antenna on each smart card for communication between the card and the card reader. Reading distances for contactless cards range from one inch to several feet in distance.
Two types of cards capable of operating in both contact and contactless modes have also been developed. Hybrid cards are dual chip cards in which each chip has a respective contact and contactiess interface, which are not connected to one another inside the card. Combi cards include a single chip that has both contact and contactless interfaces.
Several prior art systems have been employed to facilitate toll collection. The following are examples of the systems known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,727 to Shieh discloses a method and system for two-way packet radio-based electronic toll collection. U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,758 to Jesadanont discloses a system for collecting tolls through the use of magnetic cards. U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,520 to Chaum et al. discloses a system for automatic real time highway toll collection from moving vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,375 to Sunahara et al. discloses an automatic debiting system suitable for free lane traveling. U.S. Pat. No. 5,825,007 to Jesadanont discloses a method of paying tolls with pre-paid cards.
All of these systems suffer from various deficiencies. In particular, the cards employed have limited capabilities and can generally only be used for toll collection.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a smart card system and method for providing a smart card for serving travel-related and entertainment-related functions.
A further object of the invention is to provide a smart card that facilitates automatic fare, fee and toll payment for such travel-related and entertainment-related functions.
Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a system and method for using a smart card with contact and contactless interfaces to pay fares, fees and tolls and a contact interface for obtaining information.
To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the purpose of the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a smart card system for performing travel and entertainment-related functions. The system comprises a smart card automated payment means within the smart card for providing automated payment for at least one of fees, fares and tolls and an automated payment means within a payment facility for communicating with the smart card automated payment means to facilitate payment. The system additionally comprises storage means on the smart card and/or its host system for storing user identification information and available funds, and card transaction information and processing means for updating funds information on the smart card and its host systems. The system additionally comprises means on the smart card for interfacing with a source web site, wherein access to travel and entertainment payment records is provided on the source web site.
In another aspect of the invention, a smart card is provided for communicating with a payment central processing unit for facilitating automatic payment of at least one of fees, fares and tolls. The smart card comprises receiving means for receiving a wakeup signal and a payment amount from the payment central processing unit, storage means for storing user identification data and financial data, information transmission means for transmitting a user identification number and a card balance upon receipt of the wakeup signal, and processing means for processing the payment amount transmitted by the payment central processing unit.
In yet another aspect of the invention a smart card toll payment system is provided comprising a central toll payment processing unit, wherein in a steady state, the central toll payment processing unit emits a signal, the signal maintaining a steady state comprising a red light being illuminated and a toll gate being closed. The central toll payment processing facility comprises infrared transmission means. The smart card toll payment system also comprises a smart card positioned within a vehicle that interrupts the signal, the smart card including storage means for storing user identification and account balance data, processing means for updating account balance data, and transmission and reception means for communicating with the central toll payment processing unit. Upon triggering of an interrupt, the central toll payment processing unit wakes up the smart card, receives smart card data, sends a payment amount, and when the payment amount is satisfied, activates a green light and raises the toll gate.
In yet another aspect, the invention provides a smart card system for performing travel and entertainment-related functions. The system comprises a smart card automated payment means within a smart card for providing for payment of at least one of fares, fees and tolls for the travel- and entertainment-related functions; an automated payment and an automated payment facility for communicating with the smart card automated payment means to facilitate automated payment. The system additionally comprises storage means on the smart card and/or its host system for storing user identification, available funds and card transaction information; and processing means on the smart card for updating financial information on the smart card and its host system(s). The smart card automated payment means includes contactiess means and contact means for collecting payments for airlines, buses and other travel- and entertainment-related functions.
In still another aspect, the invention provides a method for collecting payments of at least one of fare, fees and tolls with a payment system comprising a smart card and a payment facility processing unit. The method comprises the steps of creating a steady state condition in which the smart card is in a low power state and the payment facility processing unit is in a wait state and wherein when a photodetector beam is emitted, a red light is activated, and a gate is down. The method further comprises triggering an interrupt when a vehicle breaks the photodetector beam; and transmitting a signal from the, payment facility processing unit to the smart card to wake up the smart card. The invention also comprises transmitting identification and balance information from the smart card to the payment facility processing unit and processing the transmitted information and assessing a payment amount. After assessing the payment amount, the payment amount is transmitted to the smart card and subtracted from an initial amount stored within the smart card. The invention further comprises transmitting a verification signal from the smart card to the payment facility processing unit and activating a green light and raising the gate upon receiving the verification signal at the payment facility processing unit.